Thousands evacuated as Nyiragongo volcano erupts and fumes turn the sky red in apocalyptic scenes

THOUSANDS of people have been evacuated after the Nyiragongo volcano erupted and fumes turned the sky red in apocalyptic scenes. The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ordered the mass evacuation from the eastern city of Goma on Saturday following the eruption. Even before the official announcement, thousands of people had started filling the streets and carrying what they could as they headed out of the city, which has already suffered from previous eruptions. But later Saturday, Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya tweeted: “The evacuation plan for the city of #Goma has been activated. “The government is discussing the urgent measures to take at present,“ he added. The evacuation plan was activated after an emergency meeting of the government to discuss the situation, said the minister. The first departures from the city came earlier Saturday even before the official confirmation that Mount Nyiragongo had erupted, spewing red fumes into the night sky. Read more Mars may have ACTIVE